


Different

by SarahWritesThings



Category: NCIS
Genre: Episode: s07e23 Patriot Down, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25752511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahWritesThings/pseuds/SarahWritesThings
Summary: Of course, it's impossible not to get personally involved in a case.Content warning: references to sexual assault, nothing explicit.
Relationships: Ziva David & Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Different

**Author's Note:**

> The opening section is taken directly from the episode, of course I don't own them.

_"What if her lawyer's right? What if her shipmates did do it?"_

Ziva stood, twisting her fingers back and forth. _"Then I understand why Petty Officer Burrows has kept her mouth shut."_

 _"I don't,"_ McGee scoffed. _"Why would you let someone get away with rape?"_

_"Perception. Burrows is in the military. If a woman cries rape, no man on that ship would ever totally trust her again.”_

_"Well, you’re a woman, what would you do?”_

_“I am different,"_ Ziva answered, not making eye contact. _"After torturing them until they cried like babies, I would castrate them. Give them what they deserve.”_

Tony appeared by her side, grinning at her, _“spoken like a true almost-American.”_

* * *

When all was said and done, Petty Officer Burrows’ case was wrapped up in two days. Of course, Agent Macy had done most of the leg-work before she was killed, so they had been left to complete all the paperwork.

At five o'clock precisely, Gibbs stood, telling them that they could head home. He himself had hurried out of the office, prompting Tony to crack a joke about his evening plans that McGee rolled his eyes at. Soon after, Abby came to steal him away, rambling on about some computer problem she was having. Tony had stayed, catching up on odd jobs he had be ignoring, and carefully watching.

Ziva was sat at her desk, her hands sorting papers. The idle passerby wouldn’t think twice about this image, but Tony knew better. He had been surreptitiously watching her repeat these motions for the last half-hour, waiting to see if she's actually get a new set of papers or just keep up the illusion.

Just as Tony contemplated interrupting her, a phone rang loudly from across the room. Ziva jumped, whipping her head around to see where the noise was coming from. The agent-whose-phone-was-in-question didn’t notice, but this was the final confirmation that something _was_ wrong.

Ziva set down her folders, sighing heavily, and turned off her computer monitor. When she reached for her backpack, Tony looked towards his computer quickly, typing randomly in a lame attempt to ensure she did not notice his surveillance, but her only acknowledgement of him was a quick “goodnight” as she rounded her desk, heading for the elevator.

He watched her disappear, finding himself stating long after she left.

Ever since they had started investigating Agent Macy’s case, Ziva had been quiet. At first, Tony had toyed with the idea that the agent was a reminder of Rivkin’s death, but that didn’t make sense, as Ziva had barely worked with Macy during that case. No, it was something else entirely.

He had seen the expression on her face, as McGee had innocently thought out loud. Like always, Ziva had kept her head held high, showing only her toughest skin, but she had kept her eyes downcast.

He had known better than to try and talk to her about it while in the squad room, but there hadn’t been an opportunity for one of their usual bathroom conversations during the day.

Deciding he wasn't going to let it be pushed aside this time, Tony grabbed his bag and made his way out of the office.

* * *

Of course, by the time he was standing at her door, Tony was second guessing his impulsive decision making. To be fair, even if she did refuse to let him in, he could leave her with the pizza and six-pack, and hope that she got the message that he was there, if she needed him.

He tapped on her door, sending out a silent prayer that she didn’t punch him for his gall.

But when Ziva opened the door, she didn't move. Or speak. But she also wasn't glaring at him, which was a good sign.

Tony plastered his best DiNozzo grin on his face. “I come bearing gifts!”

She glanced down at his outstretched hands and their contents, and seemed to accept it. She stepped back, letting him slid past, into her apartment.

After closing the door behind him, Ziva grabbed the six-pack from him and disappeared around a corner, presumably to the kitchen. Tony plopped onto her sofa, taking a moment to glance around.

Tony hadn't actually been into her new apartment. Even after Paris, she had always come to his place, on the few occasions they had dinner together or watched a movie (at his insistence).

She reappeared, handing him a now-open beer bottle and a plate. “You did not have to do this.”

He smiled easily, taking it from her. “I know, but I wanted to.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

She smiled weakly at him, then grabbed the TV remote off the table and threw it to him. As Tony gleefully scrolled through movies to stream, he saw out of the corner of his eye that Ziva had grabbed a few slices of pizza for herself before settling under a thick blanket.

Knowing that Ziva needed something light, Tony put on _Roman Holiday_ , and spent the first five minutes of the movie animatedly telling her about Audrey Hepburn’s career. To her credit, Ziva pretended to be listening, but the slightly glazed look in her eyes told him otherwise.

After 15 minutes, Tony managed to get her to speak by asking if she had ever been to Rome ( _of course_ she had). Right around the thirty-minute mark he got them both another beer, which Ziva heartily thanked him for. And an hour in, Tony managed to make her laugh, properly laugh, at his terrible impression of Gregory Peck. That’s when he knew his mission was a success.

By the end of the movie, Ziva had stretched out to put her feet in Tony’s lap, still wrapped in her blanket. He yawned widely, stretching his arms as the credits rolled across the screen. Somehow, Tony new he wouldn’t regret the late night in the morning, even if he did have to be in the office at eight.

From the other side of the sofa, Ziva’s spoke, her voice soft. “It is good that Burrows’ attackers will be punished for their crimes.”

“Yeah, it is,” he said evenly, slowly turning so that he faced her, one leg propped on the couch, still underneath hers.

“For a time, I did not think we would be able to catch them, without DNA evidence.”

“You know Gibbs, when he is determined…”

Ziva nodded idly, her eyes trained on the beer bottle in her hands. “Being attacked like that, the two of them at once….” she shifted uncomfortably, “I am thankful that she does not remember it clearly.”

“So am I, they can’t be easy memories to live with.”

This was one of those times Tony was thankful for his interrogation training, as he was able to keep his voice steady, not wanting to overwhelm her.

“In Mossad, we were trained to resist all kinds of torture methods. To never give away any information, no matter what your captors did to you. But we did not discuss what happens after...Mossad agents do not survive being held captive.”

“But you did.”

“I did not choose to.”

Almost like they were back in Somalia, her words felt like a sucker punch to the gut, but he forced himself to respond. “Doesn’t matter, you’re here now.” He let one hand make contact with her, giving her foot a gentle poke, “and look at you now, about to become an American citizen.”

A faint smile graced Ziva’s face, and Tony let himself exhale.

She whispered, impossibly quiet, “I wish Saleem had been punished for his crimes.”

For once, Tony didn’t try to inject any humor into his voice. “Life in prison?”

“No….in a dark, cold cell, like the one he put me in.”

“Make him experience what he put you through, makes sense.”

Ziva looked up at him, staring long and hard. Even under her neutral expression, Tony felt like he could see memories rushing through her brain, and he didn’t try to interrupt them.

Finally, she nodded, her voice thick, “death is too much of a relief, he did not deserve it.”

“No…he should have suffered.”

A few tears escaped her eyes, making slow descents down her face. “Burrows will be suffering for a long time.”

He gave her a smile, “but she’ll get through it.”

“She will…with a bit of help.”


End file.
